Inside the Soryu Submarine: Rare Diagram, Photos, Video and Translations.

Life beneath the waves in the Soryu submarine.
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Diagram of a Soryu Command Center (or Control Room) from Ships of the World Vol. 713, page 96 (Courtesy http://blog.livedoor.jp/wispywood2344/others/Soryu_Control_Room.png)
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A friend has kindly provided an English translation of the subtitles in the above Youtube.

The Soryu submarine, where most of the action takes place, is Zuiryu “Auspicious Dragon”. It is the fifth Soryu built, hence designated SS-505. It has lead-acid batteries and Stirling engine AIP. It was laid down March 2009, launched October 2011 at MHI and commissioned into the Japanese Navy (JMSDF) in March 6, 2013 see “Soryu Table”. It is homeported at the Japanese Navy's main base at Yokosuka.

The only non-Soryu action is a 60th Anniversary of JMSDF Submarine Fleet ceremony, held at Yokosuka Naval Base, with submarine naval officers attending. Vice Admiral Doman Seiichi, Commander Submarine Force, gives a speech.

Scene - In the tight confines of a submarine dwell 65 souls (9 officers, 56 men). They take a female reporter out for the day. Note - Japanese submarines are usually an all male preserve.

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Youtube Time mins:secs	Speaker and What he/she/they Said
0:05	Reporter: Ah!
0:12-0:22	Reporter: Thank you. Oh Great. Now, we are offshore. Numbers of ships are becoming less.
	Captain Ryu Moriyasu: Yes.
0:25-0:58	Narrator: A jet back mass with a cloud of white smoke sails the sea. This is the latest class of submarine, a [Soryu specifically the] Zuiryu. Its maximum width is 9.1, and length is 84m. Building cost is more than 50 billion yen [A$600 million]. Zuiryu commissioned three years ago. Zuiryu rarely conducts activities such as disaster relief or life-saving. It is a weapon just for attack.
1:05-1:20	Narrator: Submarine conducts secretly mission in the deep sea. We are allowed to accompany with training of submarine. This is the first TV filming of Soryu-class submarine training.
1:24-1:35	Narrator: First, we went section called “Control Room”. We can see a row of instruments and monitors, filming of them is rarely permitted.
1:39	Captain: To the mast. Dive!
1:40	Crew: Dive. Dive.
1:47-1:50	Narration: Suddenly, something happens in the ship.
1:55-2:05	Reporter: Ship is inclined. It is quite inclined to the front.
	Captain: It is going more inclined.
	Reporter: My body is nearly moving. I feel to be powerfully pushed to the front.
2:07-2:09	Narrator: Because the submarine starts deep diving for training.
2:14-2:20	Narrator: This is footage from camera set out side of the submarine under the special permission.
2:35-2:43	Narrator: The submarine has no windows. After submerging, they hear sound and detect abnormality.
2:46-2:53	Reporter: We already submerged deep. In this submerged situation, training is going to be carried out.
2:56-3:05	Narrator: Under the red light, combat training is carried out. One word perfectly changed tense and quite atmosphere. Soryu's Command Center area, drive/sonars/combat system etc. Darkened for security. Note chairs on rails. ---
3:06-3:08	Sonar man: Detected sound. Hundred twenty degree.
3:10-3:21	Narrator: Sonar man checking sound in the sea detected the warship. They say, if it is enemy, they will conduct preemptive attack before being detected. Immediately, Captain starts action.
3:22-3:28	Crew: We get in the position.
.	Captain: Roger. Get in the position. Prepare training torpedo warfare
	Crew: Get in the position. Prepare training torpedo warfare.
	Crew: Prepared the position related to launch control.
3:28-3:35	Narrator: The they identify (the warship) whether it is all or enemy by such as huge date accumulated in the latest computer
3:38-3:49	Reporter: Captain check and confirm the monitors, and gives direction. He does not look actually nor use periscope.
3:49-3:50	Crew: Yosoro (=go forward as-is). Yosoro. Yosoro. Captain: (unclear)180 degree stop.
3:51-4:00	Narrator: If submerged deeply, the periscope cannot be used. Is target ally or enemy?
4:03-4:12	Crew: Currently detected the ship in 120 degree direction.
	Captain: We will conduct torpedo attack against this target.
4:13-4:26	Narrator: Captain assumed this target as enemy and ordered torpedo attack.
	Crew: Prepared No.3 and N.4 torpedo tube for firing.
	Captain: Roger.
	Crew: We will fire No.3 torpedo, fire prepared.
.	Crew: Fire
	Crew: Ute (fire).
4:29-4:50	Narrator: Emergency situation is assumed for most of trainings. In the deep sea, such a secret training was conducted. In submerging, generally, they do not communicate outside. Decision whether attack or not is depends of only Captains judgement.
4:53-4:56	Narrator: Next we went here
4:58-5:03	Captain: Curtains are set. There are [Japanese built Type 89] torpedoes opposite side of the curtains. [No picture of Type 89, even on Wikipedia!]
5:03-5:10	Reporter: I understand. Can’t we film these, we can?
	Captain: No.
	Reporter: Wow. Torpedoes! Exactly. Periscope area in Command Center ---
5:12-5:14	Narrator: This is a section for torpedo firing.
5:17-5:46	Reporter: Have you ever fired torpedo?
	Captain: Yes. But, we have not fired live ammunition against the target.
	Reporter: Actually, you will fire such a huge torpedo against something. In this meaning, do you feel scar on firing?
	Captain: Rather scary, we must avoid to fire (torpedo) against wrong target. So we are very careful in this point.
5:48-5:59	Narrator: Attack secretly enemy. To improve this ability, in the latest submarine, there are many equipment different from those of existing submarine
6:00	Caption: Equipment of latest submarine
6:05-6:27	Reporter: This is cockpit. In the cockpit of Oyashio-class which I boarded before, back and forth operation of handlebars was conducted. In this submarine, they adopted sticks operated by right and left hands.
6:29-6:57	Narrator: By these control sticks, they move X-shaped rudders in the stern.
	In the existing submarine, they decided the upper-lower and left- right directions by cross-shaped rudders. Contrary, in the new submarine, X-shaped rudders move independently and provide sharper maneuverability.
7:00-7:25	Narrator: There are another modifications. We went to AIP section. Actually, new engines called AIP were equipped inside of the boxes. We cannot film AIP, because it is defense secret.
7:26-7:36	Reporter: I can see thick tube in the back and arrays of small valves. Bub, it does not look like engine at first glance.
7:38-7:43	Narrator: This is what is the maximum features of the latest submarine.
7:46-8:09	Narrator: The existing submarine, there is need to take in air to charge the batteries. But, surfacing has a risk to be detected. The new engine need not taking in air and provides significantly longer submerged period.
8:10-8:16	Captain: Surfacing provides risk of detection by radar, but now we can avoid such risk. Stirling AIP section ---
8:17-8:21	Narrator: On the other hand, there is price to pay.
8:23	Caption Unknown life in submarine.
8:31-8:34	Reporter: Same as always, steep and narrow stairs. (she used to visit Oyashio-class).
8:38-8:54	Reporter: Look at this. I am surprised. Beds are set just next corridor. One, two, three, it is three-stage bed. This is extremely narrow corridor. Thus tee beds are placed along parallel to corridor.
8:56-9:06	Narrator: Shower and WS are set in the back of 3 tier bunks. Private space of crew is limited to the bunkbed.
9:10-9:29	Reporter: It looks extremely cramped, doesn’t it?
	Crew: Yes
	Reporter: Wow
	Crew: It has become smaller.
	Reporter: As expected, smaller than in the preceding Oyashio class submarines?
	Crew: Yes
	Reporter: Where are your personal belongings?
	Crew: Belongings compartment is under the bed.
	Reporter: Are your belongings in this compartment?
	Crew: Yes. Because only this can be locked space.
	Reporter: My legs become high.
9:30-9:39	Narrator: Actually. Equipment of the new engine AIP makes living space small.
	Reporter: OMG. It is terrible feeling of pressure.
9:41-9:56	Reporter: Why do they lengthen submarine?
	Captain: If the size (of submarine) become bigger, it become more likely to be detected by the enemy and become more expensive, and so on. So they make submarine compact.
9:58-10:27	Narrator: It is not only tightness that submariners who engage in long submerged mission must acclimatize. You can use shower only once in every three days. Because, in addition to saving water and not making a sound as much as possible. Crews are obliged to wear headphones for watching for TV or DVD, because leaking sound provides a risk to be detected.
10:28-10:34	Reporter: Now, one after another, crews walk down the stairs and enter this room. I will follow them.
10:40-10:42	Reporter: A good smell.
10:44-10:50	Narrator: Drinking and smoking are prohibited inside of submarine. Only pleasure is a meal.
10:54-10:58	Reporter: Hmmmm. It is yummy.
11:01-11:04	Narrator: A crew member cannot give details of his mission to his family. How do they think their mission?
11:07-11:09	Reporter: Don’t you feel scaring in sailing?
11:10-11:21	Crew: We convince the scarring mission, rather, my parents or wife worry about mission, because it is very unclear.
11:21-11:30	Crew: We cannot tell returning date, so, we can only tell “not worry, and wait”, though I do not have a girlfriend.
11:30-11:34	Reporter and other crews---laughter
	Reporter: How can you speak like that?
	Crew: If I have a girlfriend, I would say like that.
11:37-11:38	Crew: We work for 6 hours and then take for 12 hours.
11:38-11:42	Narrator: Then crews start to confess their feeling.
11:44-11:49	Crew: I think smaller number of our sailing means more peaceful Japan.
11:50-11:51	Reporter: As expect, does the number increase?
11:52-11:53	Crew: Mmmmm.
11:56-11:59	Crew: I just feel increase in number of training.
12:01-12:04	Reporter: What happens? I cannot perceive it at all.
12:05	Caption - The 60th Anniversary of JMSDF Submarine Fleet Founding at Yakosuka base
12:11-12:20	Narrator: Japan started operation of submarine 100 years ago. Tension of situation of East Asia is increasing.
12:22-12:31	Commander of submarine fleet of JMSDF, Vice-admiral Doman Seiichi. As military environment surround our county is increasingly severe, further improvement in deterrence is required under the new security legislation guide line.
12:34-12:49	Narrator: Currently, 16 submarines engage in defense of Japan. Government aims to proceed with building of latest submarines, and finally to increase to 22 submarines. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just for interest here is an Australian Youtube mainly featuring Rear Admiral (retd) Rowan Moffitt (former Head, Future Submarines Program, RAN and other RAN commands). Pete

Japan's Navy and Aid Become More Active in the South China Sea

In what amounts to a Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) Japan will sail 2 of its warships and a submarine from Subic Bay, Philippines (see map above) to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. This will cross China's "nine dash line" (see map below) the vast sea-space (most of the South China Sea) that China claims.

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First reported March 6, 2016 in Japanese newspapers and then to other news agencies March 7, 2016 in several news sources here, here and here is news of a Japanese Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) set for April 2016. 

Pete's summary - These newspaper and news agency reports have likely come from Japanese military sources who say Japan will be sending an (Oyashio class?) training submarine and 2 destroyers(?) to visit the Philippines. They are likely to set out in late March 2016 on Japan’s normal patrol route of the Bashi Channel (Luzon Strait) and reach Subic Bay (now a civilian port) in the Philippines in early April 2016. They will then sail across the South China Sea to Vietnam’s largest naval base at Cam Ranh Bay. This will be the first Japanese submarine visit to the Philippines in 15 years.

China has, by itself, decided to claim most of the South China Sea within its artificial "Nine dash line" (Map above) (Map courtesy GeoGarage).

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CHINA'S RESPONSE SO FAR

In answer to “It is reported that Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force plans to send a submarine to the Philippines along with two warships that will then sail on to Vietnam. What is China's comment on that?”  The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs March 7, 2016 answered: 

“It needs pointing out that cooperation among relevant countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability instead of targeting a third party, still less harming the sovereignty and security interests of other countries. Japan once illegally occupied China's islands in the South China Sea during WWII. We are on high alert against Japan's attempt to return to the South China Sea through military means.”

JAPAN'S SURVEILLANCE AID STRATEGY

Rather than confronting China in such a direct way, Japan instead wants to build the capacity of nations that need help in the region (particularly the Philippines and Vietnam) to improve their surveillance of Chinese forces. 

Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani is traveling to the Philippines in April 2016 to discuss cooperation. This includes providing the Philippines with several used Beechcraft TC-90 King Air for surveillance of the South China Sea. Japan and Vietnam have also discussed holding a joint naval exercise

A Japanese TC-90 King Air (photo courtesy planespotters)
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Advice received in early March 2016 on the TC-90 is that Japan is leasing not granting the TC-90s to the Philippine Navy with Japan and Philippines to agree on a lease contract in several months. The Japanese government will not grant aircraft to the Philippines using overseas development assistance (ODA). This is because ODA is limited to non-military areas and current Japanese law bans give away Japanese government-owned assets. So the Japanese government decided to lease the TC-90s which will remain Japanese Navy (JMSDF) property. The value of the lease is millions yen (US$10,000s) per year.

The TC90s will have no search radars or other devices but rely on visual monitoring of the Spratly Islands. The TC90 will extend the Philippines' aerial coverage of the Spratly Islands from the current 300kms to 600kms – see http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/20160228-OYT1T50110.html?from=ycont_top_txt (in Japanese). A future Submarine Matters article will talk about Japan's provision of patrol boats to the Philippines.

As the Japanese submarine will be a "training" submarine it may be an older Oyashio class (middle submarine, above). An Oyashio would have slightly less sensitive features than the latest Soryu class (top). Japan can expect that a Chinese (Yuan, Kilo or Song class) submarine will be posted in the Bashi Channel (Luzon Strait) to put the Japanese submarine under surveillance, if possible. (Diagram courtesy Shipbucket)

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REGULAR US SUBMARINE AND SHIP VISITS

The US Navy has been doing fairly regular submarine and ship visits to Subic Bay, Philippines. On March 9, 2016 GMA News Online reported that US Los Angeles class submarine, USS Charlotte (SSN-766), moored at Subic Bay on March 9, 2016. US cruiser, USS Antietam, docked in Manila Bay on March 8, 2016 and 7^th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge, docked at Subic Bay on March 4, 2016.

Please connect with Submarine Matters December 4, 2015 article Japanese Concerns About Philippines Alliance Building and Providing Military Aid.

Pete

Mid-life upgrade of the Collins class will be a real headache.

HMAS Rankin - probably at Fleet Base West - Rockingham, Western Australia. The Collins submarines have been extra-ordinarily problematic. Even after a mid-life upgrade systemic problems (eg. continuing diesel engine unreliability) are likely. HMAS Rankin may have had the most problems. APDR Reported "With reference to delays, it is worth mentioning at this point the history of HMAS Rankin – the 6th submarine in the series. She was launched 41 months late because in the late 1990s during her construction resources had already been diverted to making urgent improvements to other members of the Collins Class. Rankin started a prolonged period of maintenance in 2008 and is still out of the water and is likely to remain so until [2014] – an extraordinary absence of six years." (Photo of HMAS Rankin courtesy nachohat(dot)org).

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In continuation of Submarine Matter’s article on the Collins mid-life upgrade issue of March 4, 2016 further information and comments are:

-  All foreign and Australian companies involved with the Collins mid-life upgrade will most probably need to work with ASC. ASC will likely have main carriage. This may have eventual impacts on blowout of Government cost estimates and extended timings Collins are out of the water being upgraded.

-  the Collins mid-life upgrades will occur while ASC is heavily involved completing the AWDs (see problems) (now due to be completed by 2020) and ASC will then be ramping up to build the Future Frigates (from 2020). A midlife Collins upgrade will be intricate. 

-  Mid-life upgrades to the Collins is of course not a start from clean-slate issue. There is a whole series of issues and costs in upgrading an old problematic submarine. Upgrades to the Collins may continue to be as many and as complex as reflected in Kym Bergmann’s comprehensive Asia Pacific Defence Reporter (APDR) article of May 6, 2013 - see http://www.asiapacificdefencereporter.com/articles/304/Collins-Class-upgrades-a-mixed-scorecard .

-  Reflecting how over-committed Australia’s warshipbuilding programs will be in the early 2020’s (clashing with a mid-life upgrade for the Collins) see:

   =  Page 21 of the 2016 Defence White Paper (10MB): “The Government’s shipbuilding plans are based on long-term continuous builds of surface warships, commencing with construction in Australia of offshore patrol vessels from 2018 and future frigates from 2020.” The AWDs may be further delayed past 2020. And

   =  page 89 - 90, Table 6, Summary of key investment decisions from FY 2016-17 to FY 2015-26 of http://www.defence.gov.au/whitepaper/Docs/2016-Defence-Integrated-Investment-Program.pdf (5MB) which appears to be a spike in warship, submarine and naval aircraft spending.

The Government will suddenly need to accelerate Defence spending regardless of expected low revenue and heavy commitments for non-defence spending.

-  the alternative of steadily retiring 5 of the Collins (no mid-life upgrade) until 2030 should be considered. Given all those years HMAS Rankin (launched 2001 but in dry-dock 2008-2014) was out of the water it perhaps could remain operational to 2035. 

-  This is noting the last time Australian submarines fired torpedos in anger - was 1915 near Gallipoli. There were no Australian submarines operational during World War Two.

-  On the more usual intelligence collection function - there are other platforms and other countries' submarines that will continue to contribute.

-  Large unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) launched from northern Australia may offer a new intelligence-collection solution. These could utilise the rapid advances in Lithium-ion batteries.

-  If a mid-life upgrade (perhaps on only two Collins) is done - perhaps better to have it done in Sweden. ASC will be too busy building the large warships anyway. Saab Kockums is doing mid-life upgrades of two of Sweden’s three Gotland class submarines. There is limited information on the upgrades (to occur in 2017?) on Saab’s website - more information would be useful.

Pete

Japanese Navy bilateral exercises and humanitarian support

On March 6, 2016 S has kindly provided the following on Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) or (Japanese Navy) bilateral and humanitarian activities.

S’s Comment: Though its activities are constrained by the Japanese Constitution, the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) is seriously making international cooperation efforts. Here are some examples:

The bilateral training exercises of JMSDF in 2015 and 2016:

2015/04/05	Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area)
2015/04/23	Maldives National Defense Force (Maldives surrounding ocean area)
2015/05/12	the Philippine Navy (Manila west ocean area)
2015/06/13	French Navy (east Gulf of Aden)
2015/08/19	Malaysian Navy (Sabah, west ocean area)
2015/09/14	US Navy (Yokosuka) for disaster relief training
2015/09/21-24	US Navy (Okinawa surrounding ocean area) for 127th anti-submarine operation
2015/10/19	S Korean Navy (Kanto south ocean area) for search and rescue training
2015/10/19-22	RAN (Kanto-Shikoku south ocean area)
2015/10/23	French Navy (Okinawa north ocean area)
2015/11/11	Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area)
2015/11/16-25	US Navy (Japan surrounding ocean area, airspace)
2015/11/30	Sri Lankan Navy (Sri Lankan west ocean area)
2015/12/18	Turkish Navy (Gulf of Aden)
2016/01/28	EU (Spanish Navy) (Gulf of Aden)
2016/01/26-02/02	US Navy (Tokai ocean area) for 128th anti-submarine activities
2016/02/09	Pakistan Navy (Gulf of Aden)

JMSDF (or Japanese Navy) humanitarian support in the South Pacific and other areas are as follows:

2009-	present Anti-piracy operation (P3C, Warship)
2004	Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
2010/08-09	Pakistan damaged by flood
2013/11-12	The Philippines damaged by Severe Tropical Storm Pewa: humanitarian support & disaster relief by 1,180 JMSDF troops
2014/01/03-09	Air Asia flight 8501 for search and rescue operation
2014/03-04	Air Malaysia flight 370 for search and rescue operation
2015/06/21-27	the Philippine Navy (Palawan Island, Palawan Island north west ocean area）for humanitarian support & disaster relief training by using P3C.
2016/02/25-29	Hosting of 19th Asia-Pacific Countries Navy University -“Strengthening of Maritime Security and Corporation in Asia-Pacific Area”
2016/03/05-present,	the Aurora Australis rescue operation

Further information is at http://www.mod.go.jp/msdf/formal/english/about/operation/index.html

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Japanese Ministry of Defense (MOD) 2015 Year in Review video. 50 seconds in it goes to a clear English voice-over. The video concentrates on Japan's Self Defense Forces (SDF) humanitarian activities. (Published March 1, 2016).

Like Australia's close relations with the US a close Japanese relationship with the US is evident. Note the humanitarian aid Pacific Partnership 4 minutes in.

S and Pete

Collins Midlife Upgrade/Extension - Companies, Tomahawks and Possible Timings

The most comprehensive, up-to-date Asia-Pacific sub numbers-types map I've seen - at March 3, 2016. Australia's six Collins subs may need to be upgraded with Tomahawk cruise missiles to keep pace with Klubs fitted to Kilo subs of India, Vietnam, China, Russia and perhaps two future Indonesian Kilos. (Graphic courtesy news(dot)com(dot)au with this clearer, larger, image)

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The leaking of Top Secret Cabinet documents on Future Submarine project timings has prompted Submarine Matters to draw together many details on the Collins "life extension" (or "midlife upgrade"). The midlife upgrade may result in much work for Lockheed Martin in cooperation with Saab and Thales.

The Australian Defence Department apparently has been advising for years that the future subs would not be delivered until the early 2030s. 

Defence sources said the handover of a future submarine by 2026 was always more of a political aspiration (of former Prime Minister Abbott) rather than a sensible shipbuilding schedule.

Australia’s six Collins subs were launched between 1993 and 2001 which, after the standard 30 years of operation, would usually lead to decommissioning between 2023 and 2031. A submarine midlife upgrade would aim to keep them operating until the mid-2030s.

In the meantime a midlife upgrade of the Collins might include more modern sonar, the latest software and hardware for its AN/BYG-1 combat system, derusting, new batteries, overhaul of the diesel engines and maybe introducing Tomahawks. The upgrade would cost much more than A$2 Billion total.

TOMAHAWK CRUISE MISSILES

An additional item which Australia might include in the Collins is Tomahawk (land attack and long range anti-ship) cruise missiles (compatible with the combat system) which would be launched through the torpedo tubes. Wikipedia records: "During the [Collins] construction phase, consideration was given to acquiring submarine-launchable Tomahawk cruise missiles; giving the [Collins submarines] the capability to attack land targets after minor modifications.^[44] Plans to acquire Tomahawk or similar land-attack missiles remained under consideration until 2009, when the Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030 white paper was released; stating that land-attack missiles will instead be incorporated into the armament of the Collins-class replacement."

With the future submarine delay a decision not to include Tomahawks could mean Australia falling behind in a region with increasing numbers of submarine fired Klub land attack cruise missiles. This is noting that Kilo diesel electric submarines belonging to Russia, India, China, and Vietnam are being fitted with land attack Klubs missiles (with ranges varying from 300km to 2,500km (depending on user modifications)). Indonesia may also buy two Kilo submarines fitted with Klubs.

UPGRADE WORK FOR LOCKHEED MARTIN, SAAB AND THALES

The life extension may result in much work for Lockheed Martin in cooperation with Saab and Thales. This is noting that the AN/BYG-1 combat system to be upgraded in the Collins is intertwined with the broader sensor, communications and weapon systems of the Collins. Lockheed Martin, Saab and Thales are already working together on submarines solutions. This may allow them to provide an integration solution for most of the upgrades required by the Collins. See Lockheed Martin on Tomahawks for US and UK submarines.

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Saab (as early as October 2015) publically anticipated the likely timeline of the Future Submarines and need for a midlife upgrade of the Collins. Nigel Pittaway in DefenseNews, October 10, 2015 reported:

“Saab Pitches Collins Submarine Upgrade

…Speaking at the Pacific 2015 Maritime Exhibition in Sydney last week, a Saab senior executive said …a Collins midlife upgrade [will be] a cost-effective measure to maintain capability…“In Australia, you have decided on a new submarine program, which is fantastic, but it’s not going to be here for a number of years…”

…Australia is looking to acquire up to 12 new conventional submarines under Project Sea 1000, but has a tight timeline if it wishes to avoid further full cycle docking overhauls, which will need to be performed on at least two submarines if the Collins needs extending beyond 2030.

…However, the slow progress of the program is causing concern that the submarines cannot be designed, selected and built in time to avoid a Collins life extension.

…[Gunilla Fransson, Saab’s senior vice president, Security & Defence Solutions] said that if Saab’s proposal for a Collins midlife upgrade is accepted, the work would be undertaken in Australia. “You sustain the Collins boats here in Australia and I don’t see any reason why you could not upgrade them here,” she said.

“Saab would certainly like to position ourselves to support Australia in an extended Collins life of type. You have a very capable local submarine company in ASC, which certainly has the capability to perform the work, together with Saab Kockums and other local Australian companies.”” [WHOLE DEFENSENEWS ARTICLE]

COLLINS TABLE

(heavily modified from Wikipedia)

Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Usual Decommissioning 30 years after Launch. (Upgrade to operate to?)	Namesake
Collins	14 Feb 1990	28 Aug 1993	27 Jul 1996	2023 (2033?)	Vice Adm  Collins
Farncomb	1 Mar 1991	15 Dec 1995	31 Jan 1998	2025 (2034?)	Rear Adm  Farncomb
Waller	19 Mar 1992	14 Mar 1997	10 Jul 1999	2027 (2035?)	Capt Waller
Dechaineux	4 Mar 1993	12 Mar 1998	23 Feb 2001	2028 (2035?)	Capt Dechaineux
Sheean	17 Feb 1994	1 May 1999	23 Feb 2001	2029 (2036?)	Seaman Sheean
Rankin	12 May 1995	26 Nov 2001	29 Mar 2003	2031 (2036?)	Lt Cdr Rankin

Pete